Resiliently yieldable support



E. F. KELM RESILIENTLY YIELDABLE SUPPORT Aug. 10, 1954 Filed Jan. 22, 1952 INVENTOR.

[VERE'TT E KELM W M ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 10, 1954 RESILIENTLY YIELDABLE SUPPORT Everett F. Kelm, Corning, N. Y., assignor to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 22, 1952, Serial No. 267,623

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to resilient supports for glass bodies, and has for its particular object the provision of a support for associating a rod or other element coaxially with respect to the bore of a glass tube while permitting movement of the rod relative to the tube against a resilient restraining force. Such apparatus is particularly useful in connection with supporting an internal glass-tube scorer in desired relation to a glass tube to be scored and severed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view (with a part in section) of an apparatus embodying the invention with a glass tube shown associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus and tube of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an element of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral designates an article or tube support in the form of a crosshead having an aperture l2. Tube clamping elements i5 and [6, are respectively arranged on carriers Hand [3 respectively slidable along opposite arms l9 and 20 of the crosshead ill. Elements [5 and it are conveniently advanced into and out of seizing relation with a glass tube such as 2| by means of a clamping screw 22 having a right-hand threaded section 23 passing through an internally threaded nut 24 extending from carrier H and having a left-hand threaded section 25 passing through an internally threaded nut 21 extending from carrier I 8. As will be understood, carriers Il and I8 are spaced like distances from the aperture l2 so that a tube clamped between elements I5 and I3 is automatically held coaxially with respect to such aperture.

Aperture l2 at one end has an inturned flange 13 through which is projected a sleeve 3| having an external flange 32, preferably of generally circular cross-sectional configuration. As will be apparent, sleeve 3| occupies aperture I2 with the inner end surface of sleeve flange 32 abutting the inner end surface of aperture flange l3. Sleeve flange 32 is resiliently held against aperture flange [3 by a partly compressed helical spring 35 which surrounds sleeve 3| in the area between a collar 36, fixed to its unfianged end by a locking screw ti, and the crosshead i8. Sleeve 3! has a bore of a diameter to freely accommodate a rod 38 adapted for coaxial insertion into tube 2! and may be fixed thereto at any position along the rod length by means of a set screw 42 threaded through collar 35 and adapted to press a tongue 33, forming a part of sleeve 3i, into snug engagement with the rod 30.

As will be appreciated, th foregoing structure not only firmly engages the rod 33 but simultaneously also holds such rod in yielding and resilient relation to tube 2!. Not only does spring 35 yieldingly permit limited axial movement of the rod relative to the tube, but also sleeve flange 32 serves as an annular fulcrum about any arcuate segment of which rod 38 may be pivoted at varying angles from the axis of the tube against the compressional force of spring 35, the degree of pivoting being generally limited only by the bore diameter of the tube and the distance the rod extends into the tube. As already indicated, rod 39 may be a shaft equipped at its far end with a scoring arrangement adapted for engagement with the bore Wall of glass tube 2|.

What is claimed is:

In a device for resiliently associating an element With respect to a tubular body, a crosshead having an aperture therethrough provided with an internal flange, associated means for clamping a tubular body to said crosshead in coaxial relation to said aperture, a tubular sleeve adapted to receive said element and occupying said flanged aperture, said sleeve having an external flange on one end thereof, the inner end surface of said sleeve flange abutting the corresponding end surface of the aperture flange, a collar fixed to the other end of said sleeve, a spring surrounding said sleeve and partly compressed between said crosshead and said collar, and means associated with said collar for clamping said sleeve to said element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,809,250 Pendleton June 9, 1931 2,078,453 Miller Apr. 27, 1937 2,558,852 Jacobi July 3, 1951 

